What is the significance of “firstborn” in the Bible? | Bible.org Home What is the significance of “firstborn” in the Bible? I’m going to copy some articles on this subject, but let me give you my summation of all of them. In the Old Testament, the firstborn son was the one who normally received a double inheritance, and was the one who would inherit his father’s role as head of the family. God sometimes reversed this order, as he did with Jacob and Esau (Genesis 25:21-26), and as Jacob later did with Ephraim and Manasseh (Genesis 48:13-22). Reuben was the firstborn of Jacob, but his rights as the firstborn were taken away because of his sin (Genesis 35:22; 49:3-4). The term firstborn therefore has two main meanings. The first is more literal, referring to the fact that this son is the first son to be born of his father. The second meaning refers to the rights and authority of a person, because they are the firstborn. Our Lord is the “firstborn” in several ways, as one of the attached articles indicates.

But most of all He is the One who has been appointed by God to be in authority over all things (Colossians 1:13-23; especially verses 15, 18). Closely related is the expression “son” (which you see in 2 Samuel 7:14; Psalm 2:7-9 [compare Psalm 110:1-3]; Hebrews 1:5-14). I understand the expressions, “Thou art My Son, Today I have begotten Thee” (Hebrews 1:5a) and “I will be a Father to Him, And He shall be a Son to Me” (Hebrews 5b) to be synonymous. This speaks not of the birth of our Lord (as though this were when He came into existence - for He is eternal as John 1:1-3 indicate), but of His installation as King of the earth by His Father.

FIRST-BEGOTTEN furst-be-got’-’-n (prototokos): This Greek word is translated in two passages in the King James Version by “first-begotten” (Heb 1:6; Rev 1:5), but in all other places in the King James Version, and always in the Revised Version (British and American), by “firstborn.” It is used in its natural literal sense of Jesus Christ as Mary’s firstborn (Lk 2:7; Mt 1:25 the King James Version); it also bears the literal sense of Jesus Christ as Mary’s firstborn (Lk 2:7; Mt 1:25 the King James Version); it also bears the literal sense of the firstborn of the firstborn of men and animals (Heb 11:28). It is not used in the New Testament or Septuagint of an only child, which is expressed by monogenes (see below). Metaphorically, it is used of Jesus Christ to express at once His relation to man and the universe and His difference from them, as both He and they are related to God.

The laws and customs of all nations show that to be “firstborn” means, not only priority in time, but a certain superiority in privilege and authority. Israel is Yahweh’s firstborn among the nations (Ex 4:22; compare Jer 31:9). The Messianic King is God’s firstborn Septuagint prototokos), “the highest of the kings of the earth” (Ps 89:27). Philo applies the word to the Logos as the archetypal and governing idea of creation. Similarly Christ, as “the firstborn of all creation” (Col 1:15), is not only prior to it in time, but above it in power and authority. “All things have been created through him, and unto him” (Col 1:16). He is “sovereign Lord over all creation by virtue of primo-geniture” (Lightfoot). It denotes His status and character and not His origin; the context does not admit the idea that He is a part of the created universe. So in His incarnation He is brought into the world as “firstborn,” and God summons all His angels to worship Him (Heb 1:6).

In His resurrection He is “firstborn from the dead” (Col 1:18) or “of the dead” (Rev 1:5), the origin and prince of life. And finally He is “firstborn among many brethren” in the consummation of God’s purpose of grace, when all the elect are gathered home. Not only is He their Lord, but also their pattern, God’s ideal Son and men are “foreordained to be conformed to (his) image” (Rom 8:29). Therefore the saints themselves, as growing in His likeness, and as possessing all the privileges of eldest sons, including the kingdom and the priesthood, may be called the “church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven” (Heb 12:23). FIRSTBORN; FIRSTLING furst’-born, furst’-ling (bekhor; prototokos): The Hebrew word denotes the firstborn of human beings as well as of animals (Ex 11:5), while a word from the same root denotes first-fruits (Ex 23:16).

All the data point to the conclusion that among the ancestors of the Hebrews the sacrifice of the firstborn was practiced, just as the firstlings of the flocks and the first-fruits of the produce of the earth were devoted to the deity. The narrative of the Moabite war records the sacrifice of the heir to the throne by Mesha, to Chemosh, the national god (2 Ki 3:27). The barbarous custom must have become extinct at an early period in the religion of Israel (Gen 22:12). It was probably due to the influence of surrounding nations that the cruel practice was revived toward the close of the monarchical period (2 Ki 16:3; 17:17; 21:6; Jer 7:31; Ezek 16:20; 23:37; Mic 6:7). Jeremiah denies that the offering of human beings could have been an instruction from Yahweh (7:31; 19:5). The prophetic conception of God had rendered such a doctrine inconceivable.

Clear evidence of the spiritualization and humanization of religion among the Israelites is furnished in the replacement, at an early stage, of the actual sacrifice of the firstborn by their dedication to the service of Yahweh. At a later stage the Levites were substituted for the firstborn. Just as the firstlings of unclean animals were redeemed with money (Ex 13:13; 34:20), for the dedication of the firstborn was substituted the consecration of the Levites to the service of the sanctuary (Nu 3:11-13,15). On the 30th day after birth the firstborn was brought to the priest by the father, who paid five shekels for the child’s redemption from service in the temple (compare Lk 2:27; Mishna Bekhoroth viii.8). For that service the Levites were accepted in place of the redeemed firstborn (Nu 3:45). See note. According to Ex 22:29-31 the firstborn were to be given to Yahweh.

(The firstborn of clean animals, if free from spot or blemish, were to be sacrificed after eight days, Nu 18:16 ff.) This allusion to the sacrifice of the firstborn as part of the religion of Yahweh has been variously explained. Some scholars suspect the text, but in all probability the verse means no more than similar references to the fact that the firstborn belonged to Yahweh (Ex 13:2; 34:19). The modifying clause, with regard to the redemption of the firstborn, has been omitted. The firstborn possessed definite privileges which were denied to other members of the family. The Law forbade the disinheriting of the firstborn (Dt 21:15-17). Such legislation, in polygamous times, was necessary to prevent a favorite wife from exercising undue influence over her husband in distributing his property, as in the case of Jacob (Gen 25:23). The oldest son’s share was twice as large as that of any other son. When Elisha prayed for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit, he simply wished to be considered the firstborn, i.e. the successor, of the dying prophet.

Israel was Yahweh’s firstborn (Ex 4:22; compare Jer 31:9 (Ephraim)). Israel, as compared with other nations, was entitled to special privileges. She occupied a unique position in virtue of the special relationship between Yahweh and the nation. In three passages (Rom 8:29; Col 1:15; Heb 1:6), Jesus Christ is the firstborn—among many brethren (Rom 8:29); of every creature (Col 1:16). This application of the term to Jesus Christ may be traced back to Ps 89:27 where the Davidic ruler, or perhaps the nation, is alluded to as the firstborn of Yahweh. See CHILD; CIRCUMCISION; FIRST-BEGOTTEN; PLAGUES OF EGYPT. NOTE—The custom of redeeming the firstborn son is preserved among the Jews to this day. After thirty days the father invites the “Kohen,” i.e. a supposed descendant of Aaron, to the house. The child is brought and shown to the “Kohen,” and the father declares the mother of the child to be an Israelite.

If she is a “Kohen,” redemption is not necessary. The “Kohen” asks the father which he prefers, his child or the five shekels; the father answers that he prefers his son, and pays to the “Kohen” a sum equivalent to five shekels. After receiving the redemption-money, the “Kohen” puts his hands on the child’s head and pronounces the Aaronite blessing (Nu 6:22-27). T. Lewis III. Conclusion We thus conclude that in Col 1:15 the phrase proƒtotokos paseƒs ktiseoƒs is predicated of the preexistent Christ. Its thrust is to ascribe to him a primacy of status over against all of creation. This status is summarized by saying that he is God’s heir par excellence. The heirship is predicated upon his role in creation, preservation and teleology. Behind the predication lies Paul’s theological conception of Christ as the second Adam. While sovereignty is the keynote of the expression and is placed in juxtaposition with creation, one must recall the OT and intertestamental usages that demonstrate overtones of special privilege and affection when the term was used as a title.

That this latter nuance is completely lacking in Col 1:15 does not follow at all. Indeed, an OT illustration suffices to guard against such a conclusion. In Gen 22:2 Isaac is styled the “beloved son,” and the ensuing narrative also informs us that it was to him that Abraham gave all that he had since Isaac was his heir (24:36; cf. 25:5). Our point is simply this: It is artificial to say that eikoƒn refers only to Christ’s relationship to the Father and proƒtotokos only to creation. Since both terms depict Jesus as the second Adam, he is thereby brought into relationship with both God the Father and creation. What does not seem to be present in Paul’s use of proƒtotokos is any notion of an “eternal generation” from the Father. This is reading back into the text the dogmatic reflections of later theologians—reflections that are legitimate but not intended by the apostle Paul’s diction. The predication of Christ as firstborn in the NT offers a challenge to Christologies ancient and modern. One cannot help being impressed by the scope of this title.

At his incarnation (Luke 2:7) Jesus is designated as Mary’s firstborn, an appellative connoting his consecration to God and possibly his rightful claim to the Davidic throne. By his glorious resurrection, in which he was victorious over sin and death, he has become the “firstborn from among the dead” (Col 1:18) and now exercises sovereign sway over his redeemed people as the “firstborn from the dead” (Rev 1:5). As the head of a new, redeemed humanity destined in the eschatological transfiguration to bear the impress of his image, he is the “firstborn among many brothers” (Rom 8:29). But the conception moves not only forward toward consummation but also, in the thought of Paul, backward into the realm of protology (Col 1:17). In Paul’s view all creation finds its reference point with respect to the “firstborn over all creation,” “the heir of all things” (Col 1:15; Heb 1:2, 6). Indeed, in the eschaton Christ is the integration point for all things (Eph 1:10).

A Christology that falls short of this all-encompassing affirmation does not do justice to the Scriptural data. (Multiple, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, (Lynchburg, VA: JETS (Electronic edition by Galaxie Software)) 1998.) From The New Bible Dictionary: FIRST-BORN. I. In the Old Testament The Heb. root bkr, found in many Semitic languages, has the general meaning ‘(to be) early’. bÿk£o‚r, ‘first-born’ (fem. bÿk£i‚ra‚ b), is used of people and animals, cognate terms being employed for firstfruits, and the first-born son’s privileges and responsibilities are known as his ‘birthright’ (bÿk£o‚ra„h). In Gn. 25:23, the eldest son is called rab£, a description occurring elsewhere only in 2nd-millennium cuneiform texts. The first-born was regarded as ‘the beginning of (his) strength’ (re„ásŒi‚t£i‚áo‚n—Gn. 49:3; Dt. 21:17; cf. Ps.

78:51; 105:36) and ‘the opener of the womb’ (pet£er reh£em—Ex. 13:2, 12, 15; Nu. 18:15; etc.), emphasizing both paternal and maternal lines. The pre-eminent status of first-born was also accorded to Israel (Ex. 4:22) and the Davidic line (Ps. 89:27). The eldest son’s special position was widely recognized in the ancient Near East, though it was not usually extended to sons of concubines or slave-girls (cf. Gn. 21:9-13; Jdg. 11:1-2). The accompanying privileges were highly valued, and in the OT included a larger inheritance, a special paternal blessing, family leadership and an honoured place at mealtimes (Gn. 25:5-6; 27:35-36; 37:21ff.; 42:37; 43:33; Dt. 21:15-17). The double inheritance of Dt.

21:15-17, though apparently unknown to the Patriarchs (Gn. 25:5-6), is mentioned in several Old Babylonian, Middle Assyrian and Nuzi documents, and is alluded to elsewhere in the OT (2 Ki. 2:9; Is. 61:7). These privileges could normally be forfeited only by committing a serious offence (Gn. 35:22; 49:4; 1 Ch. 5:1-2) or by sale (Gn. 25:29-34), though paternal preference occasionally overruled in the matter of royal succession (1 Ki. 1-2; 2 Ch. 11:22-23; cf. 1 Ch. 26:10). There is also a marked interest, especially in Genesis, in the youngest son (Jacob, Ephraim, David; cf. Isaac, Joseph), but such cases were certainly contrary to expectation (Gn. 48:17ff.; 1 Sa. 16:6ff.). Where no sons existed, the eldest daughter took responsibility for her younger sisters (Gn. 19:30ff.).

It was an Aramaean custom (Gn. 29:26), and perhaps also an Israelite one (1 Sa. 18:17-27), for the eldest daughter to be married first. A Ugaritic text mentions the transfer of birthright from the eldest to the youngest daughter. In Israelite ritual, the first-born of man and beast had a special place. The male first-born belonged to Yahweh (Ex. 13:2; 22:29b-30; Nu. 3:13), and this was underlined by Israel’s deliverance in the final plague. Children were redeemed in the Exodus generation by the Levites (Nu. 3:40-41), and later, at a month old, by a payment of five shekels (Nu. 18:16; cf. 3:42-51). Sacrifice of human first-born is occasionally mentioned, following Canaanite practice (2 Ki. 3:27; Ezk. 20:25-26; Mi. 6:7; cf. 1 Ki. 16:34), but this was a misinterpretation of Ex.

22:29. Clean male firstlings were sacrificed (Nu. 18:17-18; Dt. 12:6, 17), while imperfect animals were eaten in the towns (Dt. 15:21-23). Male firstlings of unclean animals were redeemed (Nu. 18:15), though an ass was redeemed with a lamb or had its neck broken (Ex. 13:13; 34:20). Bibliography. I. Mendelsohn, BASOR 156, 1959, pp. 38-40; R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel2, 1965, pp. 41-42, 442-445, 488-489; idem, Stuades in OT Sacrifice, 1964, pp. 7O-73; J. Henninger, in E. Gräf (ed.), Festschrift W. Caskel, 1968, pp. 162-183; M. Tsevat, TDOT 2, pp.

121-127. m.j.s. II. In the New Testament Jesus was the first-born (pro„totokos) of his mother (Mt. 1:25; Lk. 2:7), a phrase which allows, but does not demand, that Mary had other, later children (cf. Mk. 6:3; *Brethren of the Lord). As such, Jesus was taken to the Temple by Mary and Joseph to be offered to God (Lk. 2:22-24); since Luke omits mention of a price being paid to redeem the child, he may have intended the incident to be regarded as the dedication of the first-born to the service of God (cf. 1 Sa. 1:11, 22, 28). Jesus is also the first-born of his heavenly Father. He is the first-born of all creation, not in the sense that he himself is a created being, but rather that as God’s Son he was his agent in creation and hence has authority over all created things (Col. 1:15-17).

Similarly, he is the first-born in the new creation by being raised first from the dead, and is thus Lord over the church (Col. 1:18; Rev. 1:5). He is thus the first-born in a whole family of children of God who are destined to bear his image (Rom. 8:29). There may be an echo of Ps. 89:27 in Heb. 1:6, where God’s Son is the object of worship by the angels at his coming into the world (whether the incarnation, resurrection or second advent is meant is debatable). Finally, God’s people, both living and dead, can be described as the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, since they share the privileges of the Son (Heb. 12:23). Bibliography. O. Eissfeldt, Erstlinge und Zehnten im Alten Testament, 1917; W. Michaelis, TDNT 6, pp. 871-881; K. H. Bartels, NIDNTT 1, pp. 667-670. i.h.m.

1 Isaac Biography (Biblical Figure) Birthplace: Judea Best known as: The Hebrew patriarch who was almost sacrificed by his father Reliable but not brilliant, Isaac plays an important torch-passing role between his father, Abraham , and son, Jacob , in the biblical book Genesis. As told in chapters 21-28, Isaac is born to the elderly Abraham and his wife Sarah and chosen over half-brother Ishmael to bear the Hebrew lineage. God tests Abraham in a strange near-sacrifice of Isaac, halted only at the last second after Abraham proves his willingness to obey God. Later, with a wife chosen for him (Rebekah), Isaac dutifully leads a generation as a nomadic chieftain in what is now southern Israel, Gaza and the West Bank -- quarreling at times with the native Philistines over wells dug in a dry land. He is nearly blind and on his deathbed when Jacob, wearing goat skins, swindles him out of a blessing intended for his elder son, Esau. Besides being a patriarch in Judaism, Isaac is also an honored biblical figure in Christianity and a prophet in Islam (see Koran 19:50 and other passages).

Extra credit: There is no known birth date for Isaac, but it is believed he existed between 2000 B.C. and 1500 B.C…. The name Isaac in Hebrew (Yitzhak or Yitzchak) is a play on the words “laughed” and “laughter,” echoing Abraham’s and Sarah’s reaction to God’s announcement that they will have a child when they are very old… The near-sacrifice, or “binding,” of Isaac is depicted in famous paintings by Andrea Mantegna (15th century); Peter Paul Rubens, Anton Van Dyck, and Rembrandt (17th century); and Marc Chagall (20th century)… Genesis reports Isaac’s death in Chapter 35, long after the rest of his story. Copyright © 1998-2017 by Who2?, LLC. All rights reserved. Abraham and Isaac Abraham and Isaac God Calls Abram Sometime around 2000 B.C., God spoke to a man named Abram [A brum] and said, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.

I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (NIV, Genesis 12:1-3) So at age 75, Abram left the land of Haran and set out for the land of Canaan. He took his wife, Sarai [SAYR eye], his nephew, Lot, and all their possessions and slaves. Ishmael Is Born Abram was worried about God's promise that he would be the ancestor of a great nation of people. He and Sarai had no children, and Sarai was beyond the age of childbearing. But Sarai had an Egyptian slave girl named Hagar, and she gave Hagar to Abram as a second wife. Hagar bore Abram his first son, a boy named Ishmael [ISH may ell]. The Covenant A covenant is an agreement, and God made an agreement with Abram when he was 99 years old. God appeared to Abram and said, "I am God Almighty; serve me faithfully and live a blameless life.

I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to make you into a mighty nation." At this, Abram fell face down in the dust. Then God said to him, "This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of not just one nation, but a multitude of nations!" (NLT, Genesis 17:1-4) God also gave Abram and Sarai new names, Abraham [A bruh ham] and Sarah [SAYR uh], to mark their entry into this new covenant. Isaac Is Born One day, as Abraham was sitting at the entrance of his tent, he looked up and saw three men standing there. Abraham instantly recognized them as messengers from God and bowed down to worship. One of the men told Abraham that Sarah would have a son within the next year. Sarah overheard this and laughed at the idea that she could have a child; she was already almost ninety years old! However, just as promised, Sarah became pregnant and had a son the next year. Abraham named him Isaac [EYE zik]. When Isaac was born, Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90.

Hagar and Ishmael Are Driven Away Abraham forced Hagar and Ishmael out of the family because of Sarah's jealousy. After Isaac was born, Sarah became jealous of Hagar and Ishmael. She did not want them around anymore and did not want Ishmael to get a share of Isaac's inheritance. Abraham cared for his son Ishmael, and he was greatly distressed by Sarah's demands. But God assured Abraham that Ishmael would also be the ancestor of a nation of people, so Abraham reluctantly sent Hagar and Ishmael away forever. The Supreme Test of Faith Abraham was willing even to sacrifice his own son in obedience to God. God tested Abraham to see how strong his faith really was. Was Abraham really worthy to be the ancestor of two great nations of people? Would Abraham go so far as to sacrifice his only remaining son if God asked? So God said to Abraham, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you." (NRSV, Genesis 22:2) Abraham did not hesitate.

He took Isaac and set out for the land of Moriah. He gathered firewood. He built an altar and placed the wood on it. He tied up Isaac and placed him on the altar. He took his knife and lifted it up to kill his son as a sacrifice to God. At that moment the angel of the LORD shouted to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Yes," he answered. "I'm listening." "Lay down the knife," the angel said. "Do not hurt the boy in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld even your beloved son from me." (NLT, Genesis 22:11-12) Abraham had passed the test. He had demonstrated that he was willing to obey God - no matter what! Father of Three Great Religions Three great religions - Christianity, Islam and Judaism - trace their spiritual heritage to Abraham. Ishmael had twelve sons who became princes of twelve Arabian tribes. The Muslims of today trace their heritage to Abraham through Ishmael. Isaac had twin sons - Esau and Jacob. Jacob had twelve sons who were the ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel.

The Jews trace their lineage to Abraham through Isaac and Jacob. Because of their shared heritage with the Jews, Christians also count Abraham as their spiritual father. Questions Was it a Sin for Abram to Take Hagar as a Wife? In cases where a wife could not bear children, it was a common practice in the ancient world for the husband to take a second wife to bear his children. Nothing in the laws of that time prohibited such an arrangement. Was it a Sin for Abraham and Sarah to Own Slaves? Slavery was very common in the ancient world, and owning slaves was considered normal and proper at Abraham's time in history. Later Jewish law did not prohibit slavery, but it did limit harsh treatment of slaves. Slavery is incompatible with Jesus' message of love and respect for all people. However, it took many hundreds of years for human societies to abolish slavery. Lessons It was not Abraham's wealth, intelligence, power, race or nationality that qualified him to be the ancestor of whole nations of people. It was his faith and willingness to obey God - no matter what. He left his home and his homeland when God called him. He proved his obedience by his willingness to sacrifice his own son, if God told him to do it.

Throughout the Bible, men and women who were willing to put their whole trust in God were the ones God used to accomplish His great works. Could the fact that Jacob, Isaac's second-born, received the blessing of his first-born twin, Esau, foreshadow a greater purpose or principle that God had in mind? Could the fact that Jacob, Isaac's second-born, received the blessing of his first-born twin, Esau, foreshadow a greater purpose or principle that God had in mind? Email Received: I've never really understood why Jacob, the second-born of Isaac, was blessed and received the inheritance that legally belonged to his first-born twin, Esau. I know that Esau gave up his birthright, but how could God allow this? Could this foreshadow a greater purpose or principle that God had in mind? Ted's Response: There are several examples in Bible accounts where the second of a pair was blessed more than, or in some way was greater than, the first one that came before it. I believe that this foreshadows the fact that the second Creation to come will be greater than the present Creation that we see now (see old and new Creations ). Abraham had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac.

Although Ishmael was the elder, God promised Abraham that He would establish His everlasting covenant with Isaac, not with Ishmael (Genesis 17:19-21). Isaac had twin sons, Esau and Jacob (the latter being called Israel). God appointed the older to serve the younger (Genesis 25:23b); and later, Esau gave up his birthright as the firstborn to Jacob (25:31-34). Jacob's third son Judah also had twin sons, Zerah and Perez. Zerah's hand came out first, so technically he was the "firstborn" into the world. However, Zerah drew back his hand, and Perez was the first to emerge fully from the womb (Genesis 38:27-30). Jacob's first son, Reuben, legally had Jacob's birthright. However, Reuben disqualified himself to receive this birthright by sleeping with one of Jacob's concubines, Bilhah (Genesis 35:22).

As a result, the rights of the firstborn were passed to Joseph, who was the first son of Rachel, Jacob's second wife (1 Chronicles 5:1,2) Furthermore, when Jacob was near death, his son Joseph brought his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, to be blessed (Genesis 48:1,2,8,9). However, Jacob chose to put the secondborn, Ephraim, over his older brother, Manasseh (48:10-20). So Ephraim received the rights of the firstborn. King David�a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, and Perez�had another man killed and took his wife, Bathsheba, as his own. Because this displeased God (2 Samuel 12:14,15), David and Bathsheba's firstborn son, whose conception was steeped in sin, died on the seventh day after birth (12:18a). However, their second son, Solomon, was loved by the Lord (12:24,25). Solomon succeeded his father David as king (1 Kings 2:12).

Not only did God give Solomon greater wisdom than any other man before or since, and more riches and honor than any king (1 Kings 3:12,13, 4:29-31a, 10:23,24), God also promised Solomon that his royal throne would be established over Israel forever (9:5). Thus, the first son, a product of sin, died; but the second son became the wisest and richest man in the world. Therefore, a very exceptional blessing was bestowed upon all of these "second-placers": Isaac, Who Was Isaac in the Bible? Miracle Son of Abraham By Jack Zavada Updated December 22, 2016. Isaac was a miracle child, born to Abraham and Sarah in their old age as the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham to make his descendants a great nation. Three heavenly beings visited Abraham and told him in a year he would have a son. It seemed impossible because Sarah was 90 years old and Abraham was 100! Sarah, who was eavesdropping, laughed at the prophecy, but God heard her. She denied laughing.

God told Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?' Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son." (Genesis 18:13-14, NIV ) Of course, the prophecy came true. Abraham obeyed God, naming the baby Isaac, which means "he laughs." When Isaac was a youth, God ordered Abraham to take this beloved son to a mountain and sacrifice him . Abraham sadly obeyed, but at the last moment, an angel stopped his hand, with the knife raised in it, telling him not to harm the boy. It was a test of Abraham's faith, and he passed. For his part, Isaac willingly became the sacrifice because of his faith in his father and in God. Later, Isaac married Rebekah , but they found she was barren, just as Sarah had been. As a good husband, Isaac prayed for his wife, and God opened Rebekah's womb. She gave birth to twins: Esau and Jacob .

Isaac favored Esau, a burly hunter and outdoorsman, while Rebekah favored Jacob, the more sensitive, thoughtful of the two. That was an unwise move for a father to take. Isaac should have worked to love both boys equally. What Were Isaac's Accomplishments? Isaac obeyed God and followed his commands. He was a loyal husband to Rebekah. He became a patriarch of the Jewish nation, fathering Jacob and Esau. Jacob's 12 sons would go on to lead the 12 tribes of Israel. Isaac's Strengths Isaac was faithful to God. He never forgot how God saved him from death and provided a ram to be sacrificed in his place. He watched and learned from his father Abraham, one of the most faithful men of the Bible. In an era when polygamy was accepted, Isaac took only one wife, Rebekah. He loved her deeply all his life. Isaac's Weaknesses To avoid death by the Philistines, Isaac lied and said Rebekah was his sister instead of his wife. His father had said the same thing about Sarah to the Egyptians. As a father, Isaac favored Esau over Jacob.

This unfairness caused a serious split in their family. Life Lessons God answers prayer . He heard Isaac's prayer for Rebekah and allowed her to conceive. God hears our prayers too and gives us what is best for us. Trusting God is wiser than lying. We are often tempted to lie to protect ourselves, but it almost always results in bad consequences. God is worthy of our trust. Parents should not favor one child over another. The division and hurt this causes can result in irreparable harm. Every child has unique gifts that should be encouraged. Isaac's near-sacrifice can be compared to God's sacrifice of his only son, Jesus Christ , for the sins of the world . Abraham believed that even if he sacrificed Isaac, God would raise his son from the dead: He (Abraham) said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you." (Genesis 22:5, NIV ) Hometown The Negev, in south Palestine, in the area of Kadesh and Shur.

References to Isaac in the Bible Isaac's story is told in Genesis chapters 17, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 31, and 35. Throughout the rest of the Bible, God is often referred to as "the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." Occupation Successful farmer, cattle and sheep owner. Family Tree Key Verses Genesis 17:19 Then God said, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him." ( NIV ) Genesis 22:9-12 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said.

"Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."(NIV) Galatians 4:28 Family of Abraham The Family of Abraham by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D. Various biblical passages describe the complex inter-relationships in the family of Abraham (originally named Abram). Contrary to modern Western customs, it was acceptable in ancient times to marry close family relatives, including cousins and nieces. It was evidently also common for men to have more than one wife, and even to have children with women who were not their wives (slaves or concubines). For example, Abraham's first son was the child of his wife's slave-girl; and one biblical tradition even says that his wife, Sarah, was actually his half-sister. Similarly, the twelve sons of Jacob have four different mothers: the two wives of Jacob (who are his first cousins) and two other women (slave-girls of his wives). A prominent feature of the biblical texts is also the explanation of tribal origins through various genealogies.

Thus, the Israelites (the twelve tribes of Israel) see themselves as the descendants of the twelve sons of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham. In contrast, groups like the Ishmaelites and Edomites (to the south and southeast of the Israelites) are said to be descendants of Abraham's other children and grandchildren, while the neighboring Moabites and Ammonites (west of Israel) are described as descendants of Lot, Abraham's nephew. Another important aspect of the biblical stories is what could be called family rivalries and disputes, esp. when younger sons usurp the inheritance rights of their older brothers. Thus, Abraham's inheritance is passed on to Isaac (not the first-born Ishmael), and then to Jacob (not his elder brother Esau). Combining all the above points helps to explain both the close relationships and the bitter rivalries between the ancient Israelites and the neighboring Semitic peoples. The Israelites (and modern Jews!) believe that the promises God made to Abraham (esp.

that his descendants shall possess the Promised Land forever) were legitimately handed on to them through Isaac and Jacob (as described in the Bible), while the descendants of the other tribes (and modern Arabs!) believe that the land should belong to them, since they are descendants of the elder sons (and thus the rightful heirs) of Abraham. The following charts can help us visualize some of these complex relationships: NOTES: (unless otherwise noted, all biblical references are from the Book of Genesis) Terah: from Ur of the Chaldeans; has three sons; wife not named (11:26-32; cf. Luke 3:34). Haran: dies in Ur before his father dies; wife not named; son Lot, daughters Milcah & Iscah (11:27-28). Nahor: marries Milcah, daughter of his brother Haran (11:29); have eight sons, incl. Bethuel (22:20-24).

Abram: main character of Gen 12–25; recipient of God's promises; name changed to ABRAHAM (17:5); sons Ishmael (by Hagar) and Isaac (by Sarah); after Sarah's death, takes another wife, Keturah, who has six sons (25:1-4), including Midian, ancestor of the Midianites (37:28-36). Lot: son of Haran, thus nephew of Abram, who takes care of him (11:27–14:16; 18:17–19:29); wife and two daughters never named; widowed daughters sleep with their father and bear sons, who become ancestors of the Moabites and Ammonites (19:30-38).

Sarai: Abram's wife, thus Terah's daughter-in-law (11:29-31); Abram also calls her his "sister," which seems deceptive in one story (12:10-20); but in another story Abram insists she really is his half-sister (his father's daughter by another wife; 20:1-18); originally childless, but in old age has a son, Isaac (16:1–21:7); name changed to SARAH (17:15); dies and is buried in Hebron (23:1-20). Hagar: Sarah's Egyptian slave-girl; mother of Abram's first son, Ishmael; much conflict with Sarah after his birth; even more after the birth of Sarah's son, Isaac (16:1–21:21). Ishmael: first-born son of Abraham, by Hagar (16:1–17:27); wife or wives never named, but has 12 sons (25:12-16), the ancestors of 12 tribes of Ishmaelites (37:25-28).

- see below Isaac: second son of Abraham, by wife Sarah, despite her old age (17:15-21; 21:1–35:29); marries Rebekah, who has twin sons, Esau & Jacob. Curiosity about the ages of the Patriarchs: Abraham lived 175 years (Gen 25:7), which equals 7 x 5² Isaac lived 180 years (Gen 35:28), which equals 5 x 6² Jacob lived 147 years (Gen 47:28), which equals 3 x 7² The Bible says very little else about the "Twelve Tribes of Ismaelites" aside from naming the twelve sons of Ishmael in Gen 25:12-16 and again in 1 Chron 1:29-31.

Gen 25:12-16 – "These are the descendants of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's slave-girl, bore to Abraham./ These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael; and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, / Mishma, Dumah, Massa, / Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. / These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, twelve princes according to their tribes." 1 Chron 1:29-31 – "These are their genealogies: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth; and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, / Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, / Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.

These are the sons of Ishmael." Adbeel, Massa, Kedemah - not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible Mibsam & Mishma - not mentioned elsewhere, but different people with the same name appear in 1 Chron 4:25-26 Hadad - not mentioned elsewhere, but several other biblical characters are named Hadad, Ben-Hadad, Hadadezer, etc.

Other biblical references to some of the sons of Ishmael (aside from Gen 25:12-16 and 1 Chr 1:29-31) Nebaioth - also in Gen 28:9; 36:3; Isa 60:7 Kedar - also in Ps 120:5; Prov 21:4; Songs 1; Isa 21:16; 21:17; 42:11; 60:7; Jer 2:10; 49:28; Ezek 27:21 Dumah - also in Josh 15:52; Isa 21:11 Tema - also in Job 6:19; Isa 21:14; Jer 25:23 Jetur & Naphish - also in 1 Chron 5:19 The Hebrew Bible describes the "Twelve Tribes of Israel" as descendants of the twelve sons of Jacob (also named Israel), with four different mothers.

The births of the twelve sons (and the significance of their names) are described in chronological order in the book of Genesis (29:31–30:24 & 35:16-20). The Bible contains several different listings of the twelve tribes . Each tribe has its own characteristics and eventually obtains its own territory: Reuben is the first-born son, and thus sometimes exercises a leadership role among his brothers; but he later loses favor and prominence. The tribe of Joseph (through his sons Manasseh and Ephraim) becomes the largest and most prominent by the time the Israelites enter the Promised Land and divide it among themselves. The tribe of Levi is uniquely important, not only because of Moses and Aaron, but since they become the priestly tribe (all the sons of Levi are priests, while members of any other tribe cannot be priests). The Levites do not receive a separate territory of their own, but rather live scattered among all the other tribes, where they serve as priests for the whole people.

Although the first king of Israel (Saul) is from the tribe of Benjamin, the tribe of Judah becomes known as the royal tribe, due to the promise God makes to King David that his descendants will rule over Israel forever (2 Sam 7). Notes: Jacob's twelve sons are first mentioned in the order of their births, in Genesis 29:31–30:24 & 35:16-20.

Leah (elder wife): 1) Reuben, 2) Simeon, 3) Levi, 4) Judah; later also 9) Issachar, 10) Zebulun Bilhah (Rachel's slave): 5) Dan, 6) Naphtali Zilpah (Leah's slave): 7) Gad, 8) Asher Rachel (younger wife): 11) Joseph, 12) Benjamin Manasseh & Ephraim – sons of Joseph, whose descendants figure prominently in the later history of Israel Moses and Aaron – leaders of the Israelites at the time of their migration out of Egypt and wandering in the Sinai desert Kings David & Solomon – the two greatest rulers of the united Kingdom of Israel, from about 1100 to 930 BCE Tribe of Levi – becomes known as the “priestly tribe,” since all cultic & temple officials had to belong to this tribe Tribe of Judah – becomes known as the “royal tribe,” since all later Kings of Judah were descendants of King David

Question: In the Bible, who was the first born of Isaac?
Answer: ESAU